Buoyed by its win at the International Trailer Awards, Kögel officially introduced its Cool Liteshell to attendees at IAA Transportation 2024.
The trailer took first place in the concept category, with the winning refrigerated vehicle aiming to address the cold chain’s stricter regulations for the transportation of sensitive and perishable goods, as well as growing market requirements ensuring quality and sustainability.
The Kögel Cool Liteshell uses an innovative panel technology that reduces the vehicle’s weight, while simultaneously increasing its resilience – offering economy and sustainability.
The award-winning trailer has been a long time coming, Kögel CEO, Christian Renners, told Global Trailer, and is something he is extremely proud of.
“The main standout we have here is the weight reduction. That is the main advantage,” he said. “We haven’t had an innovation or an opportunity like this in a century.”
Compared to the Kögel refrigerated vehicle, Kögel Cool is, according to the manufacturer, 700 kilograms or more than nine per cent lighter.
The weight reduction is achieved through specially manufactured panels for the sides, the roof and the floor. Kögel dispenses with the usual steel top layer and instead uses milled hard foam blocks made of polyurethane and a top layer made of fibreglass mats with thermoplastic polyurethane. This material combination is also intended to eliminate corrosion on the structure.
Reducing the tare weight also positively impacts fuel consumption. According to the company, Cool Liteshell can save 0.30 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, which leads to a reduction in CO2 emissions of 0.8 grams per kilometre. This could save every 32nd trip when fully loaded.
Kögel jointly developed its Axlepower system with BPW and Thermo King. This technology stores energy recovered during driving and braking in a battery, which powers the cooling unit both during travel and while stationary. This solution contributes to reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions and improves comfort for the driver.
In other news, BPW has announced it is adding another personal liability partner to the company.